UNEP promoting more Pachauri self-puffery?!

The decidedly disgraced former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Rajendra Pachauri, of whom one can only say that he must be a very slow learner – and a man of ever-changing stories – appears to have been off gallivanting around the globe, again. In no small measure, thanks to the co-operation and/or the blindness (you may take your pick!) of the IPCC’s “parent”, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

You see, the UNEP also happens to be the “parent” of a little-known (if not completely unheard of) organization known as the International Ecosystem Management Partnership (IEMP) – at least according to their letterhead, which appears on a few pertinent documents, including an August 12 letter inviting Pachauri to a gathering of the IEMP in China – followed by his attendance at a gathering of an equally obscure Japanese organization, MUNIKATA (see p. 9 of .pdf) on Aug. 29 in Tokyo. He was there in March of 2014, as well:

From the “set of professional events and meetings” of the China gathering of the IEMP, one also learns that yet another IPCC-nik, Dr. Qin Dahe, who happens to serve (along with Thomas Stocker) as a Co-Chair of the IPCC’s Working Group I (WGI) was scheduled to have breakfast with Pachauri on Aug. 23 (see p. 7 of pdf).

Sorry, there’s no indication what the menu might have been at this Aug. 23 breakfast. In the absence of any information to the contrary, perhaps the purpose of this meeting was for Pachauri, a railroad engineer, to let Qin Dahe – a real scientist – know that he’s no longer the Chair of the IPCC. It’s certainly within the realm of possibility that the WGI Co-Chair didn’t get the memo sometime prior to March 5, 2015 when it was reported that:

Pachauri had conveyed in a letter to the UN Secretary General his decision to step down from his post some months before the completion of his term. He had served as IPCC chair for 13 years and had shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore for work on climate issues.

The UN Panel on climate change had also said that it cannot ignore the allegations against Pachauri but stressed that the organisation is in good hands and well prepared for the future as it seeks to focus on involving developing countries more closely in its work.

In fact – particularly in light of the above – after reviewing the rest of this “set of professional events and meetings”, I couldn’t find any item which could not have been dealt with by the WGI Co-Chair, all by himself!

As for the UNEP and the board of TERI (Pachauri’s purported “employer”) those powers that be should be utterly ashamed of themselves!

Not only have they disregarded poor ol’ Pachauri’s claimed inability to function more than “two hours per day”, by sending him on a flight that will last at least seven hours, but also subjecting him to what must surely be a gruelling schedule of “meetings” – at which, as noted above, his presence is far from necessary – for such an old man.

And I’m still very much in the dark regarding what appears to me to be an – albeit somewhat selective – cumbersome, lumbering process on the part of the court system in India. They have a law on the books regarding sexual harassment; yet from everything I’ve seen, to date, the courts seem to go out of their way to kowtow to a defendant’s ever-changing story.

YMMV, but I have great difficulty comprehending how they can respond so quickly to a defendant’s travel request; yet take so very long before actually adjudicating (in this instance, until December 8 of who knows what year?!) on the same defendant’s “recycled” whine – in effect an attempt to gag the press – regarding coverage of his self-serving antics and acrobatics.

Then again, it could well be December 8 of this year … which just happens to fall a few days prior to the end of COP21 in Paris. How very coincidental and convenient, eh?! Any bets on how many more “travel” requests from Pachauri will be submitted and approved in very short order between now and then?!

But far more importantly, what steps is the Delhi court taking to protect the interests of the complainant, a recipient of Pachauri’s unwanted attentions and multiple documented missives of the electronic kind – who long ago submitted her evidence, which has been confirmed during the course of the police investigations?

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7 thoughts on “UNEP promoting more Pachauri self-puffery?!”

“He had served as IPCC chair for 13 years and had shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former US Vice President Al Gore for work on climate issues.” The Hindu gets this wrong. The IPCC got the half-Nobel Peace Prize, not Pachauri. The IPCC has made it clear that its individuals shall not claim Nobel status.

I agree, Tony. Eventually, the IPCC did make it clear that individuals cannot claim Nobel status. But for several years after this 2007 award, there were many who brandished their own personal resumés by making such a claim (and some who still do … I stumbled across one at the U.K. Met Office, a few weeks ago where I learned that “he shared the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to IPCC in 2007”!)

The Hindu certainly did get it wrong! BUT … there are a few curious considerations about this piece. First there is no author listed. Second, here’s what I found at:

Question: Question about Secretary‑General. Has he taken any decision on appointing a new climate chief after Mr. Pachauri has resigned because of allegation?

Spokesman [Stephane Dujarric]: It is not up to the Secretary‑General to appoint the chair of the IPCC. As you will have seen, an interim chair was appointed by the panel itself, and a new chair will be elected by the panel later this fall. But, it is not the Secretary‑General’s authority to appoint the chair of the IPCC, who’s not… who is not the “climate chief”.

Question: The investigation, on Mr. Pachauri, is it going to be done by United Nations…?

Spokesman: We’re very…

Question: …or Indian courts?

Spokesman: We’re aware of the allegations, which refer to incidents that may have occurred related to Mr. Pachauri’s organization, own think tank which is not linked to the United Nations, which is not a United Nations entity. Mr. Pachauri has resigned from his chairmanship of the IPCC, and we put out a statement… we put out a statement at the time. And the proceed… the allegations are being, from my understanding, thoroughly investigated by the Indian authorities. (my bold -hro)

That pretty much covers the quoted text in this no byline March 4 piece in The Hindu. Nonetheless, not wanting to leave any stone unturned, off I went in search of this “statement at the time” (presumably Feb. 24/15). Here’s what I found at:

And earlier today, I was asked about the resignation of Dr. Rajendra Pachauri from the chairmanship of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

I can tell you that the Secretary-General did receive this morning a letter from Dr. Rajendra Pachauri informing that he was stepping down as IPCC Chair effective immediately.

The Secretary-General thanks Dr. Pachauri for his dedicated leadership of the IPCC.

Over the past 13 years, Dr. Pachauri’s leadership has been critical in increasing the world’s understanding of the true nature of climate change. He has also played a leading role in mobilizing international action to address one of the defining issues of our time.

The Secretary-General is confident that the IPCC will continue its important work at a time when climate change is affecting more and more people, and threatening the sustainable development of all.

[and further down in the Q&A portion of the meeting one more Pachauri mention:]

Question: Yes. Will there be an inquiry by the United Nations on this resignation of climate chief who just resigned this morning?

Spokesman: An inquiry by the United Nations?

Question: Yeah. [inaudible] about sexual conduct…

Spokesman: We’ve seen the press reports of the case, and I understand the case is being investigated by national authorities. And that’s where it stands. Mr. Pachauri is, as I’ve just indicated, has resigned effective today. Abdel Hamid.

None of the above would constitute my idea of a “statement”. But that aside … Notice anything missing from these responses?! One almost begins to wonder why the Pope hasn’t nominated Pachauri for sainthood!

But the question remains, doesn’t it?! How did the Nobel Peace Prize creep into the March 4 piece at The Hindu, eh?! Did you happen to notice the link on that page to:

“In a letter to lead and convening lead authors, the Chair of the IPCC, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, wrote: “I have been stunned in a pleasant way with the news of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for the IPCC.

“This makes each of you Nobel Laureates and it is my privilege to acknowledge this honour on your behalf. The fact that the IPCC has earned the recognition that this award embodies, is really a tribute to your knowledge, hard work and application,” Dr Pachauri said…”

That Pachauri would have initiated this does not surprise me (very few of his stupidities surprise me, come to think of it!) But really, I would have expected the “big names” to know better than to succumb to such nonsense.

That they chose not to point out to Pachauri how utterly foolish – and dishonest – this glitter by association really was, to my mind seriously calls into question the judgment (and common sense!) of those who so proudly displayed these “certificates”. At least until they were finally shamed into silently removing them from their walls, resumés – and libel claims!.

As I had written – only half in jest – a few years ago, regarding the chocolate medals one can purchase at the Nobel Museum gift shop:

Perhaps IPCC Chair, Rajendra Pachauri would have done better to purchase a limited number of these chocolate medals to bestow upon those he foolishly declared could call themselves Nobel Laureates (including himself!)

Not to mention that the honour and prestige once associated with this prize has never had anything to do with science of any kind – nor in many years, sad to say, even with “peace”.

The complainant in the sexual harassment case against TERI former Director General Rajendra K Pachauri has moved the Industrial Tribunal urging the latter to vacate the stay granted by it on the operation of the ICC report which had held Pachauri guilty of sexual harassment at workplace.

Acting on Pachauri’s plea, challenging the findings of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) on grounds of violation of “principles of natural justice”, the Industrial Tribunal on May 29 had stayed the ICC report.

In an elaborate plea, the 29-year-old complainant against Pachauri has urged the tribunal to set aside the said order so that the Governing Council of TERI is made to act on the ICC report. The complainant has accused TERI and its Governing Council of “remaining mute spectators” to the damaging ICC findings against Pachauri and deliberately giving Pachauri “ample opportunity” to move the court and obtain ex parte stay on the ICC report.

YMMV, but I have yet to see any evidence that Pachauri has ever demonstrated any understanding of “the principles of natural justice”.

“The court had directed him to furnish two local sureties of Rs two lakh each and inform the Indian embassies in both the countries about his arrival.

In its order, the court had noted that a sessions court order of March 21 mandates Pachauri to only obtain prior permission before travelling abroad but does not impose absolute prohibition from leaving the country during pendency of probe.”

One lakh is a hundred thousand, so Rs four lakh is the grand total of USD 6036.81. Of course we know that he takes little money for his eminent work.

He claimed in 2010 his salary from The Energy Research Institute, as the Director-General, was $45,000 dollars. Whilst there is a tremendous disparity between the very poor and the very rich in India, a top CEO such as Pachauri could be expected to be in the $500,000 to $1M bracket, a point he made himself in an interview for the UK Independent (Saturday, 27 March 2010), where he was described as an Indian scientist.

“My salary is something that you would find laughable,” he said (later revealing it was $45,000 dollars per annum). “I have never bothered about money. I come from a family of academics.”

“I could be earning a lot, I could be earning a million dollars a year if I wanted, but whatever little I get, which is nowhere near a million dollars, goes to my institute which is a charitable institution not owned by anybody. Any minor surpluses we generate, we use for doing work in rural areas, making sure the poorest of the poor get lighting by using solar lanterns.”